Would I be totally crazy for recognizing Archie Moore as a legit heavyweight champion?

agree

 

It was very similar to the Moore-Valdes fight in that the promoters called it a title bout but weren't able to get it recognised as such in Canada or anywhere else. It wasn't so much Moore v Parker for the vacant title, but Moore claiming the title on Marciano's retirement and "defending" it against Parker. So if you wanted to go down that road, you could say that Moore has one successful defence of the title before losing it to Patterson.

https://ibb.co/5WzB6fcQ

 

Whose paper title do you feel Archie could have picked up today ?

 

He wouldn’t have beat Usyk but men like Dubois, Whyte, Pulov would have been easy pickings

 

I'd give him very little chance against Pulev or Dubois.
He might beat Whyte but he'd still be an underdog.

Those men are very much larger than the HWs Moore beat.
And none of them were bums.

 

He’s beaten men just as big. The big men Moore beat were better than those 3. Lighter because no one had steroids then but Moore would have access to those things today. Dubois would be an easy match imo. Larger doesn’t equate to better. Baker Henry and Nino were on the level of those men.

 

Which big men did Archie beat who were better than Dubois, Pulev and Whyte ?

 

Bob Baker, Nino, Clarence Henry, Lavorante, were all notable big men Moore beat. First three being on par w any I listed.

 

Pulev was usually north of 250
Dubois was mid 240s
Whyte was 250 -260

The biggest men Moore beat were quite a bit smaller

Lavorante was 211
Bob Baker was 209.
Valdez was also 209
Clarence Henry was 185

And I wouldn't agree that those men were better, head to head than Pulev, Dubois and Whyte.

The only exception I might make would be Valdez might be better than Whye, or he might not.

The only relatively recent belt-holder I would give Moore a over would be David Haye, and even then, he'd still be the under dog.

 

Cestac was also a big at 6”4 225. The added weight is just PEDs. Moore ate up bigger slower guys.
Baker slimmed down for Moore he was as high as 227 for Nino but he was usually around 210-215

 

I think you underestimate Pulev and Dubois.

We'll have to agree to disagree.

 

Is he much better than alphabet champs that came later? Definitely. All time great. Incredible light heavy. However, no Marciano had the belt period in that time period. Certainly would have been a heavyweight champ once all the alphabet titles showed up.

 

One of the best heavyweight contenders but never heavyweight champion. He had one crack at the heavyweight champion of the world and he was koed in the 9th round.

 

You think Haye was the weakest relatively recent HW belt holder? Weaker than, for example, Charles Martin?!?!